Golf course gets new leader

A new administrator at Indian Rock Golf Club is looking to breath new life into the 300-plus acre course located on Route O in Laurie.

Amy Wilson

A new administrator at Indian Rock Golf Club is looking to breath new life into the 300-plus acre course located on Route O in Laurie.

Adam Stewart moved to the lake area from Pacific, Mo. in the St. Louis area and took over heading the daily operations of Indian Rock at the end of March.

With the recent financial history of the course - first foreclosed on by Community Bank of the Ozarks then taken over by the Bank of Sullivan when Community Bank was closed by the Missouri Division of Finance and placed in receivership under the FDIC - Stewart says he wasn't sure about taking this job when it was first offered.

But once he visited and met the people and saw the course, Stewart knew he wanted the job.

"The staff is extremely friendly. It's a beautiful course," he says. "Chris (Jackson, the groundskeeper) keeps the course in fantastic shape."

Since starting at Indian Rock, that good first impression has continued. Stewart has found it to be a great place with an extremely loyal membership, many of whom live on the course.

"The membership has been through a lot in the last couple of years, but they're open to change and have a lot of great suggestions also," he says.

Stewart is looking to modernize the club. A computer system coming in May will allow the course to offer specials.

A new pricing system is planned that will feature lower rates during some week days.

Starting May 8, on Wednesdays during the summer two players can golf for the price of one. The cost of the toll will also be deducted during the summer for those crossing the Lake of the Ozarks Community Bridge to play at Indian Rock if you bring a receipt.

A biweekly senior scramble with lunch and prizes will start June 10. Stewart is working with local organizations and businesses to have more tournaments and group outings. He is trying to organize a kids clinic sometime this summer as well.

The new pricing structure will soon be available on the club's website, http://indianrockgolfclub.com, which had been dormant for some time. Additional specials will also be announced on the new Indian Rock Golf Course Facebook page.

The pro shop will also be stocked up to offer more items, and The Olive Branch Restaurant continues to offer lunch and dining.

There are also plans for improvements to the course. One of the first projects in line will be redoing the bunkers, according to Stewart. Some issues with the cart path will also be addressed.

The Bank of Sullivan has been very supportive, Stewart says.

"They're extremely enthusiastic about the golf course. It's still for sale, but they want to make it productive," he says.

Settling into the new job and hampered by the many days of rainy weather this spring, Stewart has only managed to play the course a few times, but it looking forward to the summer. He usually manages to play about two to three times a week.

Getting a job in high school as a dishwasher at The Country Club of St. Alban's near St. Louis, Stewart caught the golf bug, though no one else in his family plays. He worked there for seven years, doing different jobs and learning a little bit of everything.

"I like the environment - you get to come to a beautiful place every day where people come to enjoy themselves. It rubs off on you," he says.

With the goal in mind of running a golf course, Stewart got a Bachelors Degree in Human & Health Services with an Emphasis in Outdoor Recreation and a minor in Youth Non-Profit Leadership from Murray State University in Kentucky. There he worked at the college's golf course before coming to The Lodge of Four Seasons in Lake Ozark.

Most recently, he worked as the assistant pro at a course in St. Clair, Mo. where he oversaw much of the daily operations.

Stewart is TYP (Titleist Performance Institute) Pro certified so he can help golfers adjust their swing for a bad back or other health issues as well as develop golf fitness programs. Coming up more on the business side of golf, Stewart says he is still working on his game and is trying to get accepted into the PGA certification program.

Stewart and wife Jessica - a physical therapist in Dixon, Mo. - are currently living in Osage Beach with their daughters Jordyn, 4, and Riley, five months.

After having lived in the lake area previously when Stewart worked at The Lodge, he says they are glad to be back.

"I think this is a place that you don't appreciate until you leave. There really are a lot of activities. It's family oriented with good schools," he says.

About Indian Rock Golf Course18 hole 72 par course300-plus acres interspersed with 200 home sitesFour tee boxes provide a choice of yardages.The course's signature 17th hole is a favorite, guarded at the back by a large outcropping of rocks with a deep clear water feature at the front.Olive Branch Restaurant adjacent to pro shop

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